Many of our specialized treatment options

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Astym therapy is a form of soft tissue mobilization that involves the use of specialized tools to detect and treat underlying scar tissue and other types of dysfunctional soft tissue. The goal of Astym therapy is to stimulate the body's natural healing response and promote the regeneration of healthy tissue in the affected area.

Astym therapy works through a process known as "augmented soft tissue mobilization," which involves the use of different hand-held instruments to identify areas of abnormal tissue and gently manipulate it to promote healing. This technique has been shown to be effective in treating a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions, including tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, and other soft tissue injuries.

Astym therapy is typically performed by a licensed healthcare professional, such as a physical therapist, athletic trainer, or chiropractor. The treatment usually involves multiple sessions over a period of several weeks or months, and patients may also be given exercises or stretches to perform at home to support the healing process.

Overall, Astym therapy is a non-invasive and effective approach to treating soft tissue injuries and other musculoskeletal conditions. If you are considering Astym therapy for a specific condition or injury, it is important to discuss your options with a licensed healthcare professional who is experienced in this type of treatment. 

Dr. Hillebrand has years of experience using Astym to treatment pain.

Dry needling uses very small needles inserted in the muscles to achieve a twitch response in the muscle, which helps reduce muscle spasms and pain.
Dry needling is not acupuncture as acupuncture has targets that are different than dry needling, and the purpose behind what they are doing is different.

Dr. Hillebrand has done dry needling for over five years now with great results for headaches, Bell’s Palsy, neck, pain, low back pain, piriformis syndrome, sciatica, as well as shoulder and knee pain.

Dr. Hillebrand believes in patients getting more immediate pain relief with minimal soreness so he uses a more gentle approach resulting in very few patients reporting soreness.

If you’re interested in dry needling for your pain, feel free to contact us, and will be more than happy to discuss options with you.

 LSVT BIG is used for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) to improve their ease of movement. People living with PD or other neurological conditions may have difficulty moving, with these becoming slower and smaller. This can cause them to have difficulty with walking, their balance, or completing daily tasks, like bathing. LSVT BIG can effectively assist in improving movements for any activity. The treatment improves walking, self-care, and other tasks by helping people “recalibrate” how they perceive their movements with what others actually see. It does this by teaching them to apply increased effort to produce bigger movements.

The program is customized to you and your needs. That said, getting treatment sooner will help maximize results, but it’s never too late to start. LSVT BIG can produce significant improvements even for people facing considerable physical difficulties.

Dr. Hillebrand has been certified in LSVT Big for 5 years and worked with individuals with Parkinson’s Disease for almost 2 decades.

 Dr. Hillebrand developed a virtual reality base concussion rehab program in 2016 due to his love of technology and his desire to treat patients in ways that patients enjoy, find challenging, and are different than anyone else.
Dr. Hillebrand will perform a baseline concussion assessment, then put you through a combination of traditional balance, training, pain, reduction techniques, and manual therapy, along with the use of virtual reality systems, to augment the therapeutic effects of the other treatments.
The nice part about this particular protocol for parents, peace of mind as well as their medical care team is that it is very difficult to make it through this program successfully if you are still having concussion symptoms. Dr. Hillebrand has treated patients with concussions related to sports and motor vehicle accidents with great success. This includes an individual who had gotten a concussion in a motor vehicle accident six months prior to seeing Dr. Hillebrand. His symptoms were resolved within four weeks.
If you’re interested in learning more, please contact us, and will be happy to discuss it with you. 

Manual Lymph Drainage Massage at KAEO Physical Therapy

Dr. Hillebrand is a certified lymphatic therapist with years of experience. Your lymphatic system is your body’s natural drainage. System coming from the tissues, back into the blood, and blockages can occur whether from trauma, surgery, or other disease processes.

Manual lymph drainage massage redirects the fluid through secondary vessels in the lymphatic system to allow the lake to properly drain which can reduce pain which can reduce pain, stiffness, swelling, and other complications regarding her due to the swelling. The importance of seeing a certified lymphatic therapist complete this treatment is to take your entire health history into account when providing treatment and make recommendations based on solid training and experience to allow you to achieve the best outcome each time.

For lymphedema, the average treatment is 4-5 days per week for 4 to 5 weeks with each session being 45-60 minutes long. In the case of lymphedema, we also do the wrappings as it’s the only effective way to maintain the gains in the reduction of swelling in between sessions. The wrappings are done until we get you down to your smallest size for that treatment bout. Then fit you for compression socks. After six months or so, we would see you back in to repeat the process to try to increase the reduction in limb size as your body will take time after each treatment cycle to adjust to the smaller size.

We can also use manual lymph drainage for Lipoedema, which is the collection of excess fat. For this, the treatment cycle is often shorter because there’s less fluid to be moved and it’s more about getting in fit for proper compression going forward to minimize the size of your legs.

Dr. Hillebrand also will use manual lymph drainage after orthopedic surgeries or with chronic pain as it’s been shown to reduce swelling and pain either post-surgery as well as post-injury.

He taught a course on it for other physical therapists and occupational therapists around the country.

If manual lymph drainage is something you’re interested in, feel free to contact us and we will be more than happy to complete your evaluation and discuss your treatment options.

Physical therapy can be an effective approach for improving balance and preventing falls, particularly in older adults or individuals with neurological conditions or other medical conditions that affect balance. Here are some ways in which physical therapy can help with balance training:

1. Assessment: A physical therapist will first conduct a thorough assessment of the patient's balance and posture to identify areas of weakness or imbalance that need to be addressed. They will also take into consideration any underlying medical conditions or medications that may be affecting balance.

2. Exercise programs: Next, a physical therapist will design an exercise program that focuses on improving balance and coordination, often including exercises that challenge balance and stability, such as standing on one leg or walking across a balance beam. They may also incorporate strength training and cardiovascular exercise to improve overall fitness and reduce the risk of falls.

3. Gait training: A physical therapist may provide gait training to help patients improve their walking patterns and reduce the risk of falls. This may include exercises to improve stride length, step height, and other aspects of walking mechanics.

4. Assistive devices: If necessary, a physical therapist may recommend assistive devices such as canes or walkers to improve stability and reduce the risk of falls.

5. Education: A physical therapist may also provide education on ways to improve balance and prevent falls in daily life, such as using proper footwear, eliminating tripping hazards at home, and avoiding sudden movements or changes in position.

Overall, physical therapy for balance training can be an effective way to improve balance, reduce the risk of falls, and increase overall function and independence. It's important to work with a licensed physical therapist who is trained in balance training and can develop an individualized treatment plan to meet your specific needs. everybody benefits.